While it may seem like no-big-deal towing your car or truck, the fact is nothing is really routine when transporting an object on wheels that weights between 2 to 6 tons.  Take it from us, it takes skill, experiences, and the right equipment to do it right.

As a towing customer, you should be rightly concerned, and proactive in the towing process to make sure that your car, truck, or motorcycle gets to when it needs to be without a scratch.  Here’s how….

Choose a Reputed Towing Company

This might seem like the most logical thing to do but people often tend to lean towards the cheapest option out there.

We’re not saying that the cheapest option is bad, we’re saying reliability and experience should be what you’re aiming for. This is because you will be entrusting your car, which is a prized possession for a lot of people, to the towing company.

There’s a few ways to tell if you’re dealing with a good company.  First off is to look for referencing or by going for customer reviews, or better yet – if you know of someone who has had their car towed without any issues then you can use the same company.

If that’s not an option then look for viable towing options and check out their customer reviews so you can choose the most reliable option out there.

Next make sure that the towing service you choose is licensed and bonded in the City and State your in.  There’s alot of bad apples out there, and far too many operate without the proper credentials.

Also don’t be shy to ask to get a copy of the credentials.  In case anything goes wrong, they should be on the hook for any costs.

Insist On A Flatbed Tow Truck

Just like anything, there’s a bunch of tow trucks that companies use to transport vehicles, but in general, the best one is still the flatbed tow truck.

Why?

Flatbed trucks are the easiest and safest to load a car onto a flatbed truck, and with all four tires on the flatbed, there’s nothing moving on your vehicle during transport.

Other options like hook-and-how truck can scrape the underside of the car that can often result in damage to the axles, transmission and other important and expensive to fix parts of the car.

It is also the safest option during transit as the car can be tied down in the most secure manner possible.

Also consider that with your car being level, fluid leaks and other unpleasant experiences can be avoided.

Put Your Vehicle In Neutral

An extremely important step towards accomplishing that is by putting the car in neutral. This will allow the towing professionals to move the car around easily without having to apply any unnecessary force on any portion of the car all of which can be potentially dangerous and lead to scratches and other types of damage on your car.

Most towing professionals will be able to get a car not in neutral moved to the towing position but that would involve a lot of awkward maneuvering which again has a greater potential of leaving unwanted signs of the tow.

Ensure The Car Is Hooked And Secured Safely

There is one undeniable fact in this world and that is that no one can love your car as much as you do. So, even the most reliable towing service out there may leave a few things to chance. Before your car is about to be towed, check that the car is loaded correctly and secured properly.

The car has to be loaded in a manner that the weight is distributed equally and there is no imbalance in the way in which the car is towed. Another very important aspect of a tow is the way in which the car is secured to the tow truck.

The points at which the car is tied down or attached to the tow truck needs to be secured really well. There should literally be no loose ends and the car should not have any space to move around.

This can not only result in the car coming loose but it can also cause the car to vibrate and move around in a manner that is damaging.

Take Tons Of Pictures

When putting the care of an expensive piece of property in the hands of others, in pays to be extra cautious and overly-careful.

While you may have confidence that the towing service provider is legit with the the proper insurance and credentials, it’s still a good idea to take as many pictures as you can of your vehicle before and after it gets loaded on the tow truck.

As a towing business owner and driver it makes it doesn’t bother me at all when customers do this, in fact I PREFER they do this just in case there’s is any disagreement between the customer and the insurance providers.

A word of safety advice however:  Tell the towing professional what you’re doing before you start canvasing the car.  With moving machinery we need to know when you are at all time to ensure that you are clear of harms way.

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